The present invention relates to the manufacture of rugs, and more specifically, to the manufacture of bordered rugs and custom fabricated rugs from separate carpet segments.
Bordered rugs typically have a central segment which is referred to as the field, and a border that surrounds the field. The field itself can be formed of one or more segments of carpeting, although it is generally a single piece. The border for a rectangular field is generally formed from at least four segments of carpeting, each cut to a desired size and shape to surround the field. The field and the border generally have different colors to provide a unique, aesthetic appearance.
Each segment of carpet usually has a so-called "grain," that is, the carpet fibers of the segments all tend to slant in the same direction. Border segments are usually positioned so that their grains all slant toward the field: it is impractical for all the border segments to be cut or arranged so that all of their grain directions will slant in the same direction as the field grain. Thus, at least along one or more edge areas, the grain direction of the border will be opposite that of the field. If downward pressure is applied on a seam between border and field segments where the grains are opposed, the pressure on the oppositely slanting fibers at the seam tends to urge the two segments apart and open up the seam between them. It is therefore important that the seam be strong enough not only to resist separation in use, but also during assembly.
Generally, bordered rugs have been formed by initially preparing the field. The border pieces are cut individually. For a rectangular rug, there will be tour generally elongated border segments, each border segment having two mitered ends to provide a rectangular frame pattern around the field. The segments of carpet are then arranged pile down, edge to edge, and the field and borders are bonded together to form a unitary rug.
There are many ways to bond the segments of carpeting together. They can simply be sewn together, which is extremely labor intensive, or a cold seam tape can be applied at the abutting edges of the carpet segments, or a hot melt seam tape can be applied to bond abutting segments together. This does not add strength to the seams or rug, and the seams are detectable.
Further, previous methods of forming bordered rugs are slow and relatively expensive. The required sequential manual steps significantly increasing the overall cost of the formed rug.
Unfortunately, there are inherent problems in automating the rug process. The segments must be bonded strongly enough to prevent any gaps from opening. The rug may be large and quite heavy; applying the backing material to it requires handling or turning of the rug which can cause the sections to separate during assembly. Also, opposing grain directions can cause the separation of the segments if vertical pressure is applied to the seams between segments prior to final bonding. Further, if seam tape is applied, the tape makes the seam area slightly "higher" than the remaining area of the rug which is undesirable.